Protests & Vents
by taleanaomi
Summary: "You guys owe me big time for this one." Kensi warned them.
1. Protests & Vents

NCIS: LA

Protests & Vents

by LockBox22

o0o

The three of them stood staring up at the ceiling. "Someone's going to have to fit through that vent." Sam said. He shot a look at Callen. With all the doors locked it was their only option to get the bug into the office. Kensi stood between the two of them. She also turned to look at Callen.

"Hey, don't look at me." Callen protested, raising his hands. "Remember the last time I tried to fit through one of those things?"

"Yeah, that was pretty funny." Sam replied with a small smile as he remembered how stuck Callen had gotten. He'd threatened to call the fire department, but Callen had refused and managed to get himself loose, but not before getting his pants snagged on a loose screw. Both men turned to look at Kensi.

"Dammit." She swore quietly with a sigh of protest. "Why is it always me?" She grumbled as she walked towards the vent.

"Because you're the smallest." Sam replied as she shed her jacket and gun. "I'll give you a boost." He said seriously, trying to make up for teasing her.

Kensi shot him a look as she handed Callen her things. "Thanks." She replied sarcastically before glancing up at the small vent opening once again. With a sigh, she yanked her long-sleeve shirt over her head and handed that to Callen. Her socks and shoes were next to go.

"You guys owe me big for this one." She told Callen as she climbed onto Sam's outreached hands in her bare feet and grabbed hold of the edges of the vent. Same pushed upwards as she pulled and then she was inside the ventilation.

"I'm in." Kensi said over comms, voice sounding a little strained. "Eric, I'm going to need directions. It's like a maze in here."

"Coming right at you." Eric replied from back at headquarters. "I've pulled up the schematics and you going to want to head straight for about fifty meters..."

"Fifty meters?" She interrupted in disbelief. "What? Does this thing run through all of LA?"

"Just get moving, sunshine." Callen interrupted. "We don't have all day."

"Okay, okay, keep your shirt on." She mumbled. "Oh wait, you actually get to."

Sam stepped back as a belt was dropped from the vent.

"Don't lose that."Her voice warned before a rumble told them that she was moving forward.

Sam and Callen looked at each other. "Let's hope there's no one in that office." Sam said. "Or this isn't the last we're going to hear about this."


	2. Chapter 2

Hetty looked from one to another. All three of the agents in front of her wore what could only be described as sheepish looks. She was tempted to smile. It was amusing to see three grown adults standing in front of her like they had been caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Well, this preverbal "cookie jar" was worst then most. Their little stunt had broken the first rule of undercover work; don't get caught.

She could feel somewhere behind her that Eric was hovering. She should have known that he was included in this. Still curbing the temptation to smile, she folded her hands on her desk and looked gravely down her glasses at the two men and one woman in front of her.

"Why is it that we now have a company that claims, and I quote "cleans anything." And how is it that this company has racked up over $200,000 dollars since it's creation, which I'm assuming happened yesterday."

All three of them spoke at once.

Hetty held up a hand and they all stopped. If anything she had trained all of them well. Though it was wonder that they managed somedays. They were the best, the cream of the crop, and yet sometimes she got the feeling that the scraps they got themselves into could somehow be avoided with a little careful planning; something that was of want in the undercover field.

It was Sam that spoke first. "It was my fault, Hetty. I insisted that Kensi should..."

"But I was the one that decided to go..."

"We should have seen the condition of those vents..."

Again, Hetty held up a hand and they all fell silent. "I see." She replied. "Eric, would you please...?"

The fourth member of their little soiree came around the desk into her view, clutching the portable computer that seemed to be permanently glued to his hands. Hetty sometimes wondered if he slept with it at night, though that seemed highly uncomfortable and a little obsessive.

"Let me see if I've got this straight. Sam, you insisted that Kensi climb into these vents. Callen, you noticed that something was off about the vents, but still let her climb anyways. Eric gave you directions and then a weak spot in one of these vents caused the entire thing to collapse and for you three to be responsible for over $200,000 dollars in damages. Which by the way could come out of your personal salaries for the next year if I hadn't already decided not to charge you considering what was at stake during this assignment."

She peered at all four of them. "So tell me, did you manage to do what you were after?"

Four heads nodded in agreement.

"And Kensi, except for the vigorous coating of dust that you received – you seem none the worse for wear. Did medical check you out?"

The agent nodded, small specks of grey dust falling from her head with the motion.

Hetty sat back in her chair. "Then carry on. Let's see if we can't get something from that bug that was planted." She dismissed them. With a grateful sigh, the four agents departed; chiding over.

Hetty turned around in her chair and this time she did smile. She picked up the bill from it's place and peered at it. She smiled again.

She knew just the person who would take care of this little problem. And chances were that they would do it for free and without any protest either. It was one of the many perks of knowing someone who owed you a favour.

"Now, let's see if we can't just make you go away." She muttered, turning back to her desk and picking up the phone. "Who needs a working HVAC systems when you're a front for the mob?"

-end-


End file.
